Deals to build unmanned drones and develop civil nuclear power, alongside the issue of help for Syrian rebels, will form the centrepiece of the annual Franco-British summit led by David Cameron and the electioneering French president, Nicolas Sarkozy, in Paris.

The two leaders have a sometimes stormy relationship, and hope to downplay difficult issues such as the future of the euro and the European treaty.

Friday's summit has been delayed from November, a postponement caused by the recurring crises afflicting the euro.

Since then relations have dipped, with Sarkozy, trailing in the polls for the presidential elections, deriding the lack of British industry and promising a "France forte". Cameron has vetoed the European treaty on fiscal co-operation, forcing France and Germany to forge a pact outside the EU, a move that infuriated Sarkozy. On Wednesday, Sarkozy formally announced his his re-election bid in front of a massive TV audience.

Cameron insists he admires Sarkozy and thinks that as a formidable campaigner he will haul himself from behind in the polls, and beat his socialist rival François Hollande in elections in the spring. He is not, however, expecting to be asked to join Sarkozy on the campaign trail along with the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, who has agreed to help out.

The prime minister will be accompanied by the foreign secretary, William Hague, the deputy prime minister, Nick Clegg, the energy secretary, Ed Davey, and the defence secretary, Philip Hammond. They are likely to recall the high watermark of their partnership last year by celebrating the anniversary of the battle to topple Colonel Gaddafi.

The two countries dominate European defence spending and will mark the next stage in defence co-operation by agreeing in principle to build unmanned drones by 2020. The Europeans, taking the dominant forward role in the Libyan air campaign, were struck by their lack of unmanned aerial surveillance capability, leading to a heavy reliance on US drones. Britain and France will sign a preliminary statement of intent and plan joint research to be led by Dassault and BAE.

They will also sign £500m worth of deals on civil nuclear energy, including agreements for further joint research, paving the way for a new generation of nuclear power plants and creating 1,500 jobs. The two countries are trying to develop a joint supply chain capable of providing exports worldwide.

Speaking ahead of the summit, Cameron said: "One year on from the Libya uprising, we are working together to stand up to the murderous Syrian regime and to stop a nuclear weapon in the hands of Iran."

The two countries want to give some practical advice to the Free Syrian Army, but are not planning to provide arms or any direct support on the ground. The work of special forces or the provision of communications equipment is not discussed by either government. Downing Street officials have met with Syrian leaders in exile and were less impressed by their unity and quality than they were in the case of their counterparts in Libya. The opportunity for practical diplomatic help through the UN is heavily restricted due to the opposition of the Russians and Chinese, so the focus has been on building a Syrian contact group built round Arab nations.

Cameron is privately determined that President Assad's removal cannot lead to a worse regime than the one he currently leads, mindful of the dangerous consequences Britain fears this could have for the rest of the Middle East.

Britain has also been looking at how it can ratchet up the pressure on key figures in the Syrian regime by warning them they will be indicted for war crimes at The Hague. In the interim it will support any efforts to document human rights abuses.

On civil nuclear power, Cameron said ahead of the summit: "My goal is clear. I want the vast majority of the content of our new nuclear plants to be constructed, manufactured and engineered by British companies. And we will choose the partners and technologies to maximise the economic benefits to the UK."

The Liberal Democrat Davey described nuclear as "clean nuclear" and explained: "There are plans for new nuclear in Somerset, Suffolk, Cumbria, north Wales and Gloucestershire. Supply chains will spring up too, and extend the reach of economic benefit across the country. This investment could be worth around £60bn and create up to 30,000 jobs."

Details of the deal include the first agreement between Rolls-Royce and the French company Areva to supply manufacturing and other services for the first EPR reactor at Hinkley Point, Somerset and a commitment for all future EPR building in the UK worth a minimum of £400m.

Rolls-Royce will build a dedicated factory at Rotherham and the deal will underpin 600 jobs at Rolls-Royce and more than 600 jobs in the wider supply chain in the UK, supporting 250 companies. The aim is to build a supply chain that should boost exports to China.